Again

Chapter 41.

"What are you doing here?" I gasp when I see Finn leaning against the counter at the kitchen. My parents are with him, Bob pale and my mother calmly sipping her tea. Her red hair is up in a messy bun and she's wearing jeans with her favorite thin blouse with flowers on it. Finn's face is tense and when he sees me, a horrified expression spreads across his face.

"Mia?"

"Glad to see that you still remember my name," I hiss and earn a glare from my mother for that. But I don't really care. I have been calling Finn for weeks, I needed my best friend, but he didn't even bother to either pick up or answer my calls.

"Finn is here to talk to you," Bob says softly, his hand on my shoulder. He's wearing his usual dress pants and a baby blue shirt. But my eyes are focused on Finn, my thoughts jumbling from the Harry, his parents and now him, too. "He was worried about you."

"Well, maybe I don't want to talk to him," I say, my eyes pleading with Bob's. These are the moments were I wish I would be telepathic. "There is nothing to worry about."

"Mia," Finn speaks, his voice is strong and confident. He looks much better than the last time I saw him. Okay, the last time I saw him he freshly came out of the hospital, but still and despite everything, I am glad that he looks way better. The healthy golden tone of his skin had returned and there he standing, hands supporting his body on the counter. "I need to speak to you, there are things you need to know about."

Suddenly the tension in the air changes. My mother looks rather nervous, to say at least. Even Finn seems stressed. I know that usually I would jump at this kind of opportunity, but this time seems different. "Things you couldn't tell me over the phone? Oh, right how could I forget, that you never pick up."

"What are you talking about?" my mother asks Finn. His eyes are set on me, eyes wandering my face. "I thought that you still..."

"He broke our friendship. To protect me," I laugh, not breaking eye contact with the icy blue of his eyes. "Though, I don't know what from."

"I am protecting you!" he shouts. His eyes are fierce, hands into fists, his breathing heavier than before. "I have never done anything else than protecting you, Mia. Even after we stopped seeing each other I always kept an eye on you."

"From what! What would anyone even want from me!?" I shout back, running my hand through my hair. I don't even know what he means with keeping an eye on me. "What is it with you all that you have this crazy obsession with protecting me!? There is nothing, nothing you have to protect me from!"

"You don't know that," Bob, who has taken a seat opposite from my mother, says. His face is pale, eyes set on his feet.

"Enlighten me then place! For I cannot bear another minute of being in the dark!"

Nobody says a word. Finn is still watch me, but he is the only one. I feel dumb and incredibly alone while I stand there. I hear the clock ticking, the neighbor's children running down the street. When you stand outside, all you see are these houses and gardens and cars. You see the walls and the paint and you judge the flowers that grow behind the fence. But really all you see is a facade. You don't see the families, the secrets that hold these walls. "There are things you don't need to know about," my mother finally speaks after what felt like eternity. Her voice is cold and distant and her hands are trembling. "I did a lot of mistakes in the past Mia. I just want to protect you from the knowledge of what I've done."

"What we've done," Bob says, taking her hand. "You weren't alone in this, Jane. This isn't you fault."

Bob seems desperate and sad, but my mother keeps going as if he wasn't there. "These mistakes will mark my life forever Mia, but it doesn't have to mark yours. I wanted to protect you from the people that want to harm me for my sins. You shouldn't have to carry this burden."

I didn't realize the tears that were falling down my cheeks until I want to speak up and realize that the lump in my throat prevents the words from coming. All this time I thought that both my mother and Bob were over reacting. And up until now it hasn't really bothered me much. I was always home before it was 7 o'clock, I spend my time reading and studying, because I thought that it was suppose to be this way. That my parents were doing it so I would have a good future. I'm not a party girl anyway. I am still not one. But now, now I've learned that there is so much more. Harry, is the first thought that comes into my mind when I think about everything I've learned over the past weeks. It hasn't been long, but it was enough to make me understand.I have so many questions, questions that terrified me to even ask. But when I see my mother there, huddled up on one chair and Bob speaking softly with her all questions slowly fade. My vision is still a little blurry from the tears. "But who is going to protect you, Mum?"

Finally a small smile dugs on her lips, as if she was remembering something. A distant memory in a dark past. "I can protect myself."

I ignore the snort that comes from Bob. "From who?" I quietly ask and kneel in front of her. I want take her hand and touch her. "Please Mum you have to tell me. Please don't leave out of this. This isn't only about your life, it is mine too," I beg. She slowly shakes her head, hiding it behind her hands. Now it all makes sense. Kind of. The fact that she always wanted me to be home before seven o'clock, before it was dark outside.

I feel a warm hand placed on my shoulder. When I look up Finn is looking at me, his whole face is one big mask. "Come on, that's enough."

The anger struck me as fast as it went away. I jump up and push his arm in one swift movement off my shoulder. "Don't tell me what to do!" He winces at my sudden reaction, but doesn't say a word. At the back of my mind I notice that he still belongs in bed, but the other larger part of my brain is controlled by my anger. How dare he be so straight forward!?

"Mia, please," Bob says quietly. "Your mother needs some rest."

I don't even remember going upstairs, I only remember hearing Finn's slow footsteps trailing behind me. "What, are you my guard now?"

"Not only," he says and takes my arm softly. The movement reminds of Harry and I how he seems to have developed a liking for taking my arm when I turn my back at him. "I have always been your best friend, Mia. But I'm also there to protect you. I've been trained to be your protector my whole life. Now could you please just listen to watch I want to tell you?"

My eyes feel like they'll fall out my head any minute. I take a deep breath and push him into my room. "I'm listening."

••••••••••••••
A/N.: tell me your theories. (: